KATSEYE slammed for using adult film audio in viral TikTok song Gnarly; fans raise concerns over underage member Yoonchae

What was supposed to be just another bold, genre-pushing release from KATSEYE has now spiraled into one of the group's most unsettling controversies yet. Gnarly, released on April 30, 2025, by HYBE, UMG, and Geffen Records, initially stirred mixed reactions due to its unusual lyrics. But within weeks, fans embraced its chaotic charm, using "gnarly" to describe everything from fried chicken cravings to wild nights in the Hollywood Hills.

Now, however, months later - and just days ahead of KATSEYE's major stage appearance at Lollapalooza on August 3 - the song has re-entered public discourse for a far more alarming reason: the use of an adult film audio sample embedded within the track.


Gnarly features an impressive production roster - Alice Longyu Gao, Slow Rabbit, and K-pop mastermind Bang Si Hyuk (a.k.a. 'Hitman' Bang).

The firestorm was ignited after producer Pink Slip admitted in a recent social media video that he used a sound clip from a pornographic scene in Gnarly. What shocked fans even more was his cavalier, almost boastful tone when revealing the detail - triggering immediate backlash.

Given that KATSEYE features a minor member, Yoonchae, critics were quick to point out that the sample was unsuitable.


How a sample like this got past several producers, legal teams, and label officials was a common query. The fact that there is a "Clean Edit" version of the song, which many people think proves the explicit sample wasn't included carelessly but rather on purpose, heightens suspicion.





KATSEYE is a six-member global girl group consisting of Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae, with members hailing from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States.

Formed through the survival show The Debut: Dream Academy, the group officially debuted on June 28, 2024, with the single Debut from their first EP, SIS (Soft is Strong).

Following their upcoming performance at Lollapalooza, KATSEYE is gearing up for their first-ever concert tour, The Beautiful Chaos World Tour. The tour will promote their latest EP of the same name and is expected to feature a full setlist spanning all of their released tracks.


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